Psalm 101...checklist for great dads

Psalm 101
The Checklist for Being a Great Dad

Two months ago, in our men’s meeting in December, my pastor gave us all a challenge.
He asked us to read through the 63 Psalms of David, one each day.
I have to admit that I didn’t keep up like I wanted to.
I did, however, read Psalm 101, and made it my meditational Psalm for the two weeks it took to work through the Psalm.
Here on my blogs I am going to post each daily meditation I wrote during that time.
I hope it blesses you and challenges all of us, especially you dads.

Psalm 101:1, 2 “I will sing of your love and justice. To you, oh Lord, I will sing praise”
2: “I will be careful to lead a blameless life—when will you come to me?” “I will walk in my house with a blameless heart”

David spoke of singing about God’s love and justice. How many times do I walk around, humming a tune or singing a song under my breath, almost subconsciously? Why? Because it’s in my heart. I’ve listened to it so many times that I have committed it to memory. I think that was David’s point. He had so immersed himself in God’s word that he could make up songs about it. It was buried in his subconscious. That came from tirelessly pursuing God’s presence…as the deer pants for water”
My first job as a dad is to be near God often and for prolonged periods. Jesus cannot influence me if I am a stranger to Him.
David speaks in vs. 2 about being “careful to lead a blameless life”
Did he mean perfect? No. But he meant shooting for perfection, that much is for certain. He said he was going to be “careful” to do this. That meant it was on purpose. He was making a plan to do this. He thought about it, he was conscious of it. Why?
Because of what he says in the second part…”I will walk in my house with a blameless heart”. David knew that the most important people in the world were watching. His God, His children…his family, and then his subjects.
People are watching us men. Little people. There is never a time when Morgan isn’t watching me. Never a time when I can drop my guard and be less than careful to lead a blameless life. Close doesn’t cut it. Mark DeMoss writes in his book, The Little Red Book of Wisdom that you don’t have a lot of integrity...you have it or you don’t. Period.
We need to be dads who pursue righteousness and godliness at all times in all situations. Men of character and integrity. Men who give it our best and keep giving it our best even when we fail...as we all will. Because our children are always watching.
Dear Father,
I need to be like you. I need Your character, Your nature, Your integrity. I need to follow Your example. My daughter is watching. My friends are watching. The world is watching. Please anoint me with the grace and power to be the man you need me to be, and they need me to be. Amen”